


Of Christmas Parties and Persistance

by hotchoco195



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: But Fury-kryptonite, Christmas, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Darcy is a sneak, F/M, Older Man/Younger Woman, Secret Relationship, Snapshots, Spies & Secret Agents, Tony is shocked
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-09
Packaged: 2017-12-18 05:44:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/876284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotchoco195/pseuds/hotchoco195
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy and Nick get a little too drunk at the annual Christmas party, but he thinks that's the end of it. Darcy disagrees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Christmas Parties and Persistance

Director Fury sat with his back to the room, not really wanting to know what was happening on the dance floor. The last he’d checked, Stark was in a tux persuading Dr Banner as a mad scientist to dance with a pair of agents dressed as Rockettes. He did not need Avenger groupies distracting his team.

Jessica Rabbit walked up in full red sequin dress and purple gloves. “Hey Nick.”

 “Miss Lewis, need I remind you I’m your boss?”

“Not tonight. Tonight we’re all someone else,” she grinned, “Though I guess you’re still Nick, huh?”

“There aren’t a lot of costumes with one eye.”

“Uh, Cyclops, pirate, Odin, cyborg, Mad Eye Moody, Knave of Hearts – there’s six already.”

“I don’t think I’d command a lot of respect in a pirate costume.”

“Dude, you’re like a super deadly scary boss person. No one’s gonna say a damn thing.”

He gave her a wry look. “Thanks, but I’m fine.”

“Why’d you make it a costume party anyway?”

“I didn’t. We have one every year, and Barton always comes in the same damn Robin Hood outfit.”

She laughed. “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw snarky comments, Mr Trench Coat. Where are all the waiters, I need a drink.”

 

He couldn’t get rid of her. Her mouth never stopped moving but somehow she managed to match him glass for glass.

Fury frowned. “Why are you here drinking with me when all those young macho types are looking at you?”

Darcy raised a brow and followed his nod to several guys at the bar throwing appreciative glances at her.

“I don’t really like young and macho. They so rarely equal mature.”

Fury hid a snort in his glass.

“Plus I’m not really into dating a guy who might not come back from Turkmenistan or wherever he has to go today, you know? No real stability there.”

Fury made a face that said he understood and looked out over the room. “It’s a good thing nobody’s crashed this party, because I doubt anyone here could shoot straight at the moment.”

“They’re lettin’ loose, boss! You must remember what that’s like.”

He gave her an indignant look. “I let loose.”

“Yeah, in the weapons range, when you’re angrier than usual. I mean you used to be a field agent, yeah? I bet you got into tonnes of trouble.”

“It wasn’t like this in my day. Goddamn Norse myths and cosmic cubes and alien invasions – magic and bullshit interdimensional diplomacy. Back then we just shot who they told us to.”

“Sounds fun.”

He cracked a smile. “Yeah, it kinda was.”

 

“I think we need to get you home.”

“You tryin’ to get rid of me Nicky?” she scowled at him.

“Not tonight, but keep up that Nicky shit and I might.”

“Director Nicky, you should try to have more fun, m’kay? Cos you’re a nice guy under the scary growliness, and you’re super hot.”

“What?” he said despite himself.

“Yeah, you’re like a silver fox without the silver. All muscles and serious black coat.”

He opened his mouth to reply and she launched herself at him, hands twisted in his lapels as she pressed warm, wet lips to his.

“Lewis, what in the hell are you doing?”

“Kissing? Geez Nick, how long has it been?”

“I’m putting you in a cab before you make some other stupidass decision that will make it impossible for me to look you in your drunk face again.”

“You’re drunk too.”

“So? This is wrong.”

“Didn’t feel wrong to meeee.” She sang.

Darcy wrapped her arm around his neck as her fingers played over his waist – and he didn’t move away.

“Come on, Nick. I got all dressed up and everything.”

*****

Darcy rolled over, only to collide with someone else. She opened her eyes and sat up.

“Oh, right. That happened.”

She swept her fingers over Nick’s chest and the chief snapped awake, grabbing her wrist.

“Lewis?” he frowned.

“Yeah. Guess it was a good night, huh?”

He cast a look at their clothes sprawled out around them and rubbed his eye with a fist.

“I take it there’s some creative swearing going on in your head right now, so how about I get us painkillers and breakfast?”

She took the sheet with her toga-style and left him scrambling for his underwear.

“Any chance we didn’t have sex?”

“Pretty damn sure. I have this vague memory of someone rocking my world.”

“Oh god.” He muttered.

“Hey, no big. Consenting adults, a good time had by all, that stuff.”

“Lewis-”

“I think Darcy’s more appropriate given we’re naked right now.”

“Darcy,” he glowered, “I think we can agree last night was a mistake and to forget about it.”

“I’m not so convinced. From what I remember you were definitely worth a second round.”

“I’m your boss, twice your age, and three times your clearance level. It’s not happening.”

“You said that last night.” She smirked.

He threw on his clothes, ignoring the way she watched him, and headed for the door.

“Do I get a goodbye kiss?”

It slammed behind him and she huffed. “Guess not.”

 

Fury walked into his office and stopped.

“What are you doing here? How did you even get in?”

Darcy leaned back on her hands, legs dangling over the edge of the desk. Her black dress was tight in all the right places. “Your secretary was very inviting.”

“Out, Lewis.”

“But you never called. Pretty rude, Nicky.”

“I thought I told you to forget it.”

“You clearly underestimate how stubborn I am.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Out, before I volunteer you for target practice with Romanov.”

“You wouldn’t. You’re just a big softie on the inside-”

“Darcy!”

“-and a smoking volcano of hot sex everywhere else.”

“Out!”

She pouted. “Fine. I’ll come back when you’re not so cranky.”

She slid off the desk and sashayed past him, Fury unable to stop himself biting his lip. She was going to ruin him.

 

She was obviously lying about her work history because nothing in Darcy’s file said she was a ninja and yet everywhere he went, there she was. She brought Thor messages from Jane in the briefing room, she was always in the kitchen when he wanted a coffee, she had conversations with random staff in the hallways he had to walk down. She hovered outside his office in tight sweaters and shirts, in skirts that made his mouth actually fall open they were so short. He was starting to think she’d paid the security team to keep her updated on his location and he was losing his grip on both temper and libido.

He went to the range to ease his frustration, so of course she turned up. She was in a deep red blouse and pencil skirt that clung to her like wet silk. Somehow she managed to make the most staid outfits obscene. It was something about her smile.

“Hey handsome, how’s the shootin’?”

He ground his teeth and lowered the gun. “You’re walking a very fine line, Miss Lewis.”

“Have I mentioned how incredibly hot you look when you’re threatening people?”

“What you want is impossible.”

“Says who? Norse myths and cosmic cubes and alien invasions, remember? No such thing as impossible anymore.”

Nick was done. He slammed her back into the glass wall of the booth, one hand cupping her face as the other wrapped around her hip. Darcy curled one leg around his waist, pulling him closer.

“Goddamn it, Lewis. I must be losing my fucking mind.”

“Join the club.”

*****

Darcy knew he was getting the I.T. guys to wipe the cameras somehow, whether with money or threats or straight-up violence, because they’d been having sex at headquarters for weeks and no one said a thing. She skipped into his office with a thick manilla folder.

“More stuff for you to sign, boss.”

“Just leave it in the tray.”

She leaned over saucily, shoulder brushing his. Fury flicked a glance at the door before spinning his chair, dragging her into his lap.

“Hey sexy. You got a few minutes?”

“A few.” He smiled.

They were both mussed from making out when the intercom crackled.

“Director?”

Darcy slithered off his lap into the hollow of the desk and Fury righted himself, wiping the lipstick off his neck.

“Come in, Agent Hill.”

 

Tony watched him suspiciously as Fury finished the debriefing.

“Problem, Stark?”

“You seem less of an unstoppable killing machine than usual.”

“The mission went well.”

“I don’t think it’s that. Are you getting laid, director?”

His glare was scorching. “I fail to see how it concerns you either way.”

“What is she, enemy agent? Hot politician? Supervillain?”

“Stark-”

“Or you know, he, if that’s what you’re into.”

“Tony...” Steve muttered warningly as the vein bulged over Nick’s brow.

They went into the hall and Nick smiled at Darcy going over a clipboard with someone. She finished her conversation and strutted towards them in the blue jeans that always ended in them needing to find an empty office somewhere. He bit back a chuckle.

“Actually Stark, you’re right. She is a supervillain.”

He ignored Tony’s triumphant laugh and waved Darcy over.

“Director?”

“Miss Lewis, may I have a word?”

“Whatever you need, boss.”

They ‘borrowed’ Tony’s car from the SHIELD garage and sent it back with a note.

_It’s true about fast cars and leather seats - NF_

It was late, after midnight, and since he hadn’t shown up yet Darcy figured he couldn’t make it at all. The knock on her door startled her. She opened it and he was standing there looking morose and tired.

“You okay, Nick? Something happen?”

“Mission went south. We lost a couple of agents.”

She understood ‘we’ meant ‘I’. Darcy dragged him inside and to the couch, peeling off his coat for him.

“Do you want me to put the kettle on? Or I’ve got some bourbon around here somewhere.”

“Come here.” He held up his hand.

She sat and pulled his head down to her lap, stroking his neck silently. “What were their names?”

“Onslow and Goldman. Onslow was a sharpshooter and Goldman, she was one of the best trackers I had.”

Darcy didn’t say anything else but she kept up the caress, and they fell asleep like that on the couch.

 

On her birthday he sent a massive bouquet of chocolate flowers to the lab and promised to come to her party. She could barely sit still all day, freaking Jane out, and then dragged the astrophysicist to the restaurant. Thor was there, and Erik, a few of her friends from the office, the rest of the Avengers too. Darcy was immediately smothered in a pile of gifts.

“Agent Hill couldn’t come,” Clint said apologetically, “There’s a situation back at base.”

“Oh. Is it serious?”

“Some dictatorship collapse in South America. Not a job for us, but those leader types have to deal with the fallout.”

Darcy looked down to hide her disappointment and a hand touched her shoulder.

“Sorry I’m late. I had to make sure they could handle it.”

She beamed and leaned in for a peck without thinking. The table went unusually silent and she froze, realising what she’d done. Fury just smiled and took the seat next to her.

“How about we open some champagne?”

“Watch out, you know I get rape-y when there’s liquor involved.”

She looked up at Tony’s horrified face and stifled a laugh.

“You were right – she’s evil.”

 

It was amazing how fast the news spread. People weren’t stupid enough to say anything, but all those jock agent types who used to hit on her suddenly stopped making eye contact in the halls and Darcy found herself waved through to Nick’s office without the usual security clearance rigmarole. She started getting other things too, people dropping by to bring her coffee, fruit baskets, muffin baskets, free tickets to events, flowers for her desk. Darcy didn’t understand it.

“Are they sucking up to me in the hopes I’ll ask you favours for them?” she complained as they lay in bed.

Nick laughed and ran his hand down her arm. “They’re sucking up because with you around, I don’t yell so much.”

“So they’re like, bribing me to keep you happy?”

“I suppose.”

“Ha, awesome. Think I can get a tip jar or something?”

 

Of course in the end they did ask favours, like when Agent Hill came into the lab one afternoon.

“Hi. How’s it going?”

“Fine. Miss Lewis, may I speak to you alone?”

Jane gave her a look but shrugged and waved her out. Darcy followed the deputy director to an empty storeroom two levels down.

“This’ll do. I need to ask you something.”

Darcy’s gaze narrowed. “What?”

“Please go see the director. He had a run-in with the CIA chief this morning and he’s been in a foul mood ever since.”

“I would have thought you were used to that by now. How foul?”

“He made two interns cry.”

“I’m on it.”

Fury was in full-blown rage mode when she got to his office, shouting down the phone at someone while a junior agent quivered in front of his desk. She perched on the edge and waited for him to hang up angrily.

“Hey babe. Wanna take a walk to that coffee place around the corner with me?”

“Darcy, I do not have time for coffee.” He scowled.

“Sure you do. Five minutes and then you can be intimidating world leaders again.”

“I’m trying to run an agency, Lewis!”

“It will still be here when you get back.”

He didn’t look convinced but she made her pouty face and he sighed.

“Fine, five minutes.”

She gave Hill a thumbs-up on the way out.

*****

For the next Christmas party, Darcy bought him a dastardly-looking chevalier costume complete with long wig and declared he was the Comte de Rochefort. Fury wore it, and no one said a goddamn thing.


End file.
